JP2002062028A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save resources by making possible to replace only a food containing compartment or a refrigerating machine unit when any one of them becomes unusable or inappropriate for use, and to enhance convenience while saving energy by making possible to regulate temperature of each containing room in the food containing compartment. SOLUTION: The refrigerator comprises a refrigerating machine unit 2 where a compressor 22, a condenser 23, a heat discharger 24 and an evaporator 25 are disposed in a housing 21, and a food containing compartment 1 comprising a housing 11 opening upward wherein the refrigerating machine unit is fixed removably onto the food containing compartment. Among apparatus 22, 24 and 25 constituting the refrigerating machine unit 2, the evaporator 25 is disposed at the lowermost part and chill can be supplied into the housing 11 from the evaporator.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator capable of separating a food storage box for storing foods and the like and a device for cooling the food storage box.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, refrigerators have been used to store foods and the like, the above-mentioned machine room unit for supplying cool air to the foods and the like, or a refrigerator having an evaporator added thereto. The refrigerator is configured by providing both units in a single box.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned refrigerator, when only the above-mentioned cooling device fails, the whole refrigerator must be replaced with a new one even if the storage of food etc. is usable. Therefore, there was a problem in terms of resource saving. Conversely, even when only the storage of food etc. becomes unusable, the entire refrigerator must be replaced with a new one even though the cooling device can be used. There was a problem in terms of resources.

Further, in order to store more foods and the like in the food and other storages, even when it is desired to increase the size of the storages, the entire refrigerator must be replaced with a new one, which is a problem in terms of resource saving. was there. On the other hand, when the storage room for foods and the like is composed of a plurality of storage rooms, if the temperature can be adjusted for each storage room, the temperature can be adjusted to an appropriate temperature according to the food etc. stored in each storage room. It is also possible to save energy by eliminating excessive cooling.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to separate the storage of food and the like and the device for cooling the same, so that either the storage of food or the like or the cooling device is unusable or unsuitable for use. In such a case, it is possible to save resources by allowing only the object to be replaced, and to improve convenience and save energy by enabling temperature adjustment for each storage room.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator unit in which a compressor, a condenser, a heat exhauster, and an evaporator are provided in a box body; And a storage box for food and the like formed of a box having an opening. The refrigerator unit is removably provided on the food etc. storage, and the evaporator is arranged at the lowermost part of the respective devices constituting the refrigerator unit, and the food etc. storage is provided from the evaporator. This makes it possible to supply cold air.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, one of the storage unit for food etc. and the refrigerator unit cannot be used,
Alternatively, when it becomes unsuitable for use, it is sufficient to replace only the product, thereby saving resources. Also,
When many foods and the like are to be stored in the food or the like storage box, it is sufficient to replace only the food or the like storage box with a large capacity, and it is not necessary to replace the entire refrigerator.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine room unit in which a compressor, a condenser, and a heat sink are provided in a box, and a food storage box in which an evaporator is provided in an upper part of the box. It is composed of The machine room unit is removably provided on the food etc. storage, and the compressor and the condenser are connected to the evaporator by a detachable pipe, so that the food etc. can be stored from the evaporator. Cold air can be supplied to the storage.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, one of the food storage room and the machine room unit cannot be used,
Alternatively, when it becomes unsuitable for use, it is sufficient to replace only the product, thereby saving resources. Also,
When many foods and the like are to be stored in the food or the like storage box, it is sufficient to replace only the food or the like storage box with a large capacity, and it is not necessary to replace the entire refrigerator.

[0010] The invention according to claim 3 comprises a machine room unit in which a compressor, a condenser and a heat sink are provided in a box, and a storage for food and the like. The machine room unit is detachably provided above. The food storage box is formed of a box having a plurality of storage rooms, and an evaporator is provided at an upper portion of each storage room. The compressor, the condenser, and each of the evaporators are connected to each other by a detachable pipe so that cool air can be supplied from the evaporator to the plurality of storage chambers.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator in which a storage room for foods and the like includes a plurality of storage rooms.
When one of the storage of foods or the like or the machine room unit becomes unusable or unsuitable for use, it is sufficient to replace only the product, thereby saving resources. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the invention, an adjustment valve capable of adjusting an amount of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator is attached to the pipe.

According to the invention described in claim 4, according to claim 3,
In addition to the operation of the invention described in the above, by operating the adjustment valve, it is possible to adjust the temperature in each storage room to an appropriate temperature according to the food and the like stored in each storage room,
Since there is no need for excessive cooling, energy can be saved.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a refrigerator according to the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the present embodiment includes a food storage 1 having a space for storing food and the like, and a refrigerator unit 2 for cooling the food storage and the like.
1 and 21.

The upper portion of the box 11 constituting the food storage box 1 is open, from which cool air sent from an evaporator 25 described above, which is located above the opening, is taken in. Although not shown, the front of the box 11 is a well-known openable / closable door, and a shelf (not shown) in which food and the like can be placed is also a well-known one. It is provided as follows.

The refrigerator unit 2 is removably provided on the food storage 1. That is, the upper frame of the box body 11 and the lower frame body of the box body 21 are formed with stepped portions 11a, 21a which can be fitted to each other. Box 2 on 11
1 can be placed. In addition, in the said fitting part,
It should be fitted airtight and watertight by means such as through a gasket (not shown).

A box 2 forming a part of the refrigerator unit 2
1 includes a compressor 22, a condenser 23, and a heat sink 2
4 and an evaporator 25 are provided, and the compressor, the condenser and the evaporator are connected to each other by a pipe 26. A heat-dissipating hole 27 is formed in the upper part of the box body 21, and a heat-dissipating device 24 is attached to a lower part of the heat-dissipating hole. The heat exhauster 24 is constituted by a fan, and is capable of discharging the heat accumulated in the box 21 to the outside through the discharge holes 27.

At a predetermined interval below the heat sink 24,
A compressor 22 and a condenser 23 are provided. The compressor and the condenser are mounted above a mounting plate 28 provided in the box 21. And mounting plate 2
Evaporator 25 is attached to the lower side of 8. Since the lower part of the box 21 is open, it is possible to supply cool air from the evaporator 25 into the box 11 in a state where the box 21 is placed on the box 11.

The cooling mechanism in the present embodiment is the same as a well-known refrigerator cooling system. That is, the compressor 22 compresses the vapor of the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant sucked from the evaporator 25 and sends it to the condenser 23 as high-temperature and high-pressure superheated vapor. The condenser 23 cools the steam with water or air, and sends the cooled refrigerant to the evaporator 25 via an expansion valve (not shown). The pressure is high at the inlet of the expansion valve, but the evaporator side is kept at low pressure,
While passing through the expansion valve, the pressure of the refrigerant drops rapidly. And
A part of the liquid of the refrigerant that has exited the expansion valve is evaporated by the throttle to become low-temperature and low-pressure wet steam. As described above, the refrigerant that has entered the evaporator 25 is low-temperature and low-pressure wet steam, and its temperature is lower than that of the surroundings. Therefore, the refrigerant evaporates by heat transmitted from the surroundings, and cools the inside of the box 11. Then, the refrigerant enters the compressor 22 again from the evaporator 25 and repeats the same cycle.

A blower fan is provided in the vicinity of the evaporator 25, and cool air from the evaporator is removed by the blower fan.
1 may be blown. Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 2, it is composed of a machine room unit 3 provided with a compressor 32, a condenser 33, and a heat exchanger 34, and a food etc. storage 4 provided with an evaporator, each of which is a box. It is composed of bodies 31 and 41.

First, the machine room unit 3 will be described. The machine room unit 3 is provided removably above the food storage box 4. That is, the upper frame body of the box body 41 and the lower frame body of the box body 31 have a step 31 which can be fitted to each other.
a and 41a are formed respectively, and by fitting these steps, the box body 31 can be placed above the box body 41 whose upper part is open. The fitting portion is fitted airtight and watertight by means such as a gasket (not shown).

Compressor 3 provided in box 31
2 and the condenser 33 are connected by pipes 35, respectively, and these pipes 35 can be connected to a refrigerant inlet pipe 44 and a refrigerant discharge pipe 45 via a connector 37 described later.
A heat exhaust hole 36 is formed in the upper part of the box body 31, and a heat exhaust device 34 is attached to the heat exhaust hole 36. The heat exhauster 34 is constituted by a fan, and can discharge the heat accumulated in the box 31 to the outside through the exhaust hole 36. At predetermined intervals below the heat sink 34, the compressor 32 and the condenser 3
3 are provided.

Step 3 formed in the lower frame of box 31
1a (on the right side of the drawing), one ends of pipes 35, 35 connected to the condenser 33 and the compressor 32, and a refrigerant inlet pipe 44 and a refrigerant discharge pipe connected to evaporators 42a, 43a, respectively, which will be described later. Connection portions 37, 37 are formed so as to be connectable to one end of 45. Connecting parts 37, 37
Has a cylindrical shape, and a condenser 3 is provided above these connecting portions.
One end of each of the pipes 35 and 35 connected to each of the compressor 3 and the compressor 32 is connected, and a lower portion of the connection portion is an opening through which one end of a refrigerant inlet pipe 44 and one end of a refrigerant discharge pipe 45 described later can be inserted. I have.

Next, the food storage box 4 will be described.
The box body 41 that constitutes a part of the food storage box 4 is composed of two upper and lower storage chambers 42 and 43. Storage rooms 42, 4
Evaporators 42a and 43a are attached to the upper part in 3, and a refrigerant inlet pipe 44 and a refrigerant discharge pipe 45 are connected to these evaporators. The refrigerant inlet pipe 44 is a pipe that conveys the refrigerant sent from the condenser 33 to the evaporators 42a and 43a, and the refrigerant discharge pipe 45 conveys the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant vapor sucked from these evaporators to the compressor 32. It is a tube to do. The refrigerant inlet pipe 44 branches in the middle, and the branched refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to the evaporator 4 provided in the storage chamber 42.
2a and the evaporator 43a provided in the storage chamber 43, respectively.

One end of the refrigerant inlet pipe 44 and one end of the refrigerant discharge pipe 45 slightly protrude from a step 41 a formed on the upper frame of the box 41. One end of the protruding refrigerant inlet pipe 44 and one end of the refrigerant discharge pipe 45 are provided at positions where the box body 31 can be inserted into the opening of the connecting part 37 when the box body 31 is placed on the box body 41. Therefore, when the box body 31 is placed on the box body 41, the refrigerant sent from the condenser 33 passes through the refrigerant inlet pipe 44, and the evaporators 42a, 42 provided in the storage chambers 42, 43. 43a can be transported, and
The refrigerant vapor sucked from the evaporator can be conveyed to the compressor 32 via the refrigerant discharge pipe 45.

Although not shown, doors that can be opened and closed are provided on the front surfaces of the storage rooms 42 and 43, respectively, and a shelf on which foods and the like can be placed is provided in each storage room. The mechanism of cooling is the same as that of the cooling system according to the first embodiment described above, and thus the description is omitted. Note that, in the above-described second embodiment, the box body 41 is
Although the storage chambers 42 and 43 are configured in stages, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the box 41 may be constituted by three or more storage chambers, and a plurality of storage chambers may be provided not in the vertical direction but in the width direction of the box. A plurality may be provided in each of the vertical direction and the width direction.

The upper part of the box 41 does not necessarily have to be open. Also, the evaporators 42a,
A blower fan may be provided near 43a, and the blower fan may blow cool air from these evaporators to the storage chambers 42 and 43. Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
An adjustment valve 5 that can adjust the amount of refrigerant supplied to the evaporators 42a and 43a provided in the storage chambers 42 and 43 is added to the configuration of the embodiment. The control valve 5
Structures other than the above are substantially the same as those in the second embodiment, and therefore, the same portions as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The control valve 5 is provided at a position where the refrigerant inlet pipe 44 branches off. An adjustment knob (not shown) is attached to the adjustment valve 5, and the adjustment knob is provided on the front surface of the box 41. By operating the adjustment knob, the evaporator 42a provided in the storage chamber 42 and the storage chamber 43
The amount of the refrigerant supplied to each of the evaporators 43a provided therein can be adjusted, and the temperature can be adjusted for each storage chamber.

In this embodiment, as in the above-described second embodiment, the box 41 may be composed of three or more storage rooms. A plurality may be provided not in the direction but in the width direction.
A plurality of storage chambers may be provided in each of the vertical direction and the width direction of the box. Even in such a case, the adjustment valve 5 can adjust the amount of the refrigerant supplied to each evaporator by providing the adjustment valve 5 at a position where the refrigerant entrance pipe branches.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. This embodiment is a further improvement of the third embodiment. Specifically, in the configuration of the third embodiment, a thermometer (not shown) is provided in each of the storage chambers 42 and 43, and the temperature in each of the storage chambers can be adjusted at an appropriate position of the box 41. A temperature control device (not shown) is attached, and a control means (not shown) capable of controlling the control valve 5 is provided.

The temperature adjusting device adjusts the temperature in each of the storage chambers 42 and 43, and is electrically connected to control means. When the temperature control device is operated, the control means opens and closes the control valve 5 to adjust the amount of refrigerant supplied to the evaporators 42a and 43a provided in the storage chambers 42 and 43. And
Based on information from a thermometer provided in each of the storage chambers 42 and 43, the control means controls the temperature in each of the storage chambers to the set temperature.

According to the present embodiment, the temperature in each storage room can be automatically adjusted to the set temperature by operating the temperature adjusting device. In each of the above embodiments, since the heat exhaust holes 27 and 36 are provided on the upper end surface of the refrigerator, an exhaust port or an exhaust fan is provided on the ceiling of the room where the refrigerator is placed, so that the refrigerator can be cooled. The exhaust heat can be directly discharged to the outside of the room, and there is an effect that a rise in room temperature due to the exhaust heat can be avoided. Therefore, it is preferable that the position of the exhaust port or the ventilation fan is above the heat exhaust holes 27 and 36, particularly just above or near the heat exhaust holes 27 and 36.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when one of the storage of food etc. or the refrigerator unit becomes unusable or unsuitable for use, the operation is stopped. Since it is sufficient to exchange only the goods, resources can be saved. In addition, when it is desired to store many foods and the like in the food storage, it is sufficient to replace only the food storage with a large-capacity storage, and it is not necessary to replace the entire refrigerator. it can.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, one of the storage room for food and the like and the machine room unit cannot be used,
Alternatively, when it becomes unsuitable for use, it is sufficient to replace only the product, thereby saving resources. Also,
When it is desired to enlarge the storage of foods and the like, it is sufficient to replace only the storage of foods and the like with a large one, and it is not necessary to replace the entire refrigerator.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigerator in which a storage room for foods and the like is constituted by a plurality of storage rooms.
When one of the storage of foods or the like or the machine room unit becomes unusable or unsuitable for use, it is sufficient to replace only the product, thereby saving resources. According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 3, by operating the adjustment valve, the temperature in each storage room is appropriately adjusted according to the food etc. stored in each storage room. The temperature can be adjusted to an appropriate temperature, and there is no need to cool the battery excessively, so that energy can be saved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,4 Food storage box 11,21,31,41 Box 2 Refrigerator unit 22,32 Compressor 23,33 Condenser 24,34 Heat exhauster 25,42a, 43a Evaporator 26,35 Piping 3 Machine room unit 42, 43 Storage chamber 44 Refrigerant inlet pipe (piping) 45 Refrigerant discharge pipe (piping) 5 Control valve

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A refrigerator unit in which a compressor, a condenser, a heat exhauster, and an evaporator are provided in a box body, and a storage box for foods and the like formed of a box with an open top, wherein the storage of foods and the like is performed. The refrigerator unit is removably provided on a refrigerator, and the evaporator is arranged at the lowermost part of the respective devices constituting the refrigerator unit, and cool air is supplied from the evaporator to the storage of foods and the like. A refrigerator characterized by being made possible. 2. A machine room unit in which a compressor, a condenser, and a heat exhauster are provided in a box, and a food etc. storage in which an evaporator is provided in an upper part of the box, wherein the food etc. is stored. The machine room unit is detachably provided on a refrigerator, and the compressor and the condenser and the evaporator are connected to each other by a detachable pipe, so that cool air is supplied from the evaporator to the food or the like storage. A refrigerator characterized in that it can be supplied. 3. A machine room unit in which a compressor, a condenser, and a heat exhauster are provided in a box, and a storage room for foods and the like, wherein the machine room unit is detachable on the storage room for foods and the like. The food etc. storage is constituted by a box having a plurality of storage rooms, an evaporator is provided at the upper part of each storage room, and the compressor and the condenser and each of the evaporators are detachable. Refrigerator characterized in that cold air can be supplied from the evaporator to the plurality of storage chambers by connecting with a simple pipe. 4. A piping according to claim 3, further comprising an adjusting valve capable of adjusting an amount of the refrigerant supplied to the evaporator.
A refrigerator according to claim 1.